Hi guys! Here's another chapter/one-shot to this story, hope you like it! I also hope you all had a wonderful holiday and a lovely Christmas! :)
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I OWN NOTHING; I DO NOT OWN FROZEN OR/AND RISE OF THE GUARDIANS.
The Guardian of Winter lets out a tired sigh as he drags himself back inside the ice castle that is now home for him and Elsa. With dark bags under his eyes and a frown on his lips, he looks exhausted. His eyes are half-open and his snowy-white hair is sticking out in all different directions.
He walks back inside the castle, hunched over, his back curving as he lets his slender arms fall lazily at his sides. Inch by inch his feet move as she closes the ice doors behind him.
He spent the last three days looking for the perfect gift for Elsa, but he keeps coming up empty. He can't find anything that is really special and shows how much he cares about her. There's no occasion, he just wants to do something special for her, since she's been down the past couple of days.
All the pressure of this 'eternal winter' and bring back summer has taken its toll on Elsa and lately she's been sulking in her room, staring out the window as she watches the snowflakes graceless fall from the sky.
She misses her sister- she misses Anna so, so much, Jack knows and can understand that. He misses his own sister and his family too. He can see the pain hidden behind her sparkling blue eyes, but she won't admit it.
Part of her is happy she can finally let everything go and be herself on the mountain where she isolated herself from Arendelle and everywhere else, but the other part of her misses everyone and misses her old life- some of it, anyways.
Jack just wants to see her smile again- a real, true, Elsa smile. Sure, she's been smiling when the two of them play around together- having snowball fights, making snow-angels, ice-skating, and etc. but she's not truly happy. Of course, she's happy, but she's not giving it all she has in that smile she offers him at times.
Another sigh escapes his lips as he leans his staff against the wall as he sits himself down right in front of the ice doors, not bothering to go up the stairs and see what Elsa's doing. He needs time to think- alone and besides, he doesn't want to bother her, considering she probably needs some alone time as well.
"Who knew picking out a simple, meaningful gift could be so much work…" Jack mumbles to himself as he crosses his legs, resting an elbow on his knee as he rests his cheek in the palm of his hand. His piercing blue eyes drop down to stare at his lap while his other hand absentmindedly makes small circles on his other knee.
He runs a hand through his white hair and closes his eyes for a brief second, trying to snatch up a few minutes of sleep that he lost in the past three days.
Just as his eyelids shut, that's when he hears the familiar clicking sound of Elsa's heels walking down the ice staircase of the castle. His eyes immediately snap open and he looks up to see Elsa more than half-way down the stairs, walking over to him.
"Jack," She says with a small smile- not a full, loving smile he was hoping for, "what are you doing down here?" She tilts her head to the side as she watches him stand up, that's when she notices the purple rings around his eyes. "You're exhausted; where've you been? Are you alright?"
He rubs the back of his neck and looks away with a guilty smile, "Uh, yeah… I've been… um, doing some Guardian… stuff." He doesn't need her finding out that for the past couple of days he's been flying around the world practically looking for the perfect gift for her and at the end, failing miserably.
"Oh," She shrugs one shoulder and then sniffs a little, "well, I'm glad you're back. I've missed you. Hope everything's going well with your… Guardian 'stuff'." She winks at him, giggling as his cheeks begin to turn a bright red.
"Yeah, well-" He goes to say, but cuts himself off when he notices her eyes red and so is her nose, "Hey… you've been crying?"
Her eyes widen and she quickly wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, "What? Of course not! Jack, it's cold; I'm just… um, cold, that's all."
"Elsa," He says as he folds his arms across his chest and raises an eyebrow at her, "I'm more than 300 years old- I know when someone is crying."
A small laugh leaves her lips as she offers him a sad smile, but when his other eyebrow goes up at her, she rolls her eyes. "Okay, okay, I've been crying. It's not such a big deal though, you've seen me cry before- can we just drop it?"
"Hey, just because I've seen you cry before doesn't mean I like to see you do it often." He frowns and then asks, "What happened while I was gone?"
"Nothing happened…" She tries to lie, but he gives her a knowing look. She shakes her head and then suddenly throws her arms over Jack's neck, hugging him tightly against her smaller body. Her body trembles slightly with every sob that escapes her. She buries her head in the crook of Jack's neck; he can feel her hot tears on his bare skin.
"Anna… she- she was here." She manages to mutter against his skin and through her tears. Beyond confused of her statement, Jack slowly pulls away from her so he can look her straight in the eyes.
"Wait, what?" Jack wasn't sure if he heard his girlfriend right or not, but did she just say her sister, Anna, was here while he was gone?
Elsa nods her head slowly and takes a deep breath before continuing. "While you were gone for the last couple of days… Anna showed up. I… I wasn't expecting her, but she just showed up and I… I told her to go away. She was trying to tell me that I don't have to protect her and I don't have to keep my distance anymore, but I just ran up the stairs, not looking back at her. She followed me up the stairs and she was trying to tell me that for the first time in forever… she understands. She told me she would be right here for me and we could head down this mountain- together."
"What… what did you say to her?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowed together as he searches her eyes for an answer, but he finds nothing, but sadness, regret, and hurt.
"I told her to go back home." Elsa whispers, "I told her that her life awaits and she should head back. I told her I knew that she meant well, but I told her to leave me be. I walked out onto the balcony outside and tried to explain to her that although I'm alone, I'm finally free."
"Well, you're not necessarily alone." He says with a crooked smile, but she just playfully hits his shoulder and rolls her eyes at him, smiling though.
Elsa takes a deep breath and looks down at her feet, "I told her to stay away and then she'll be safe from me. Then she explained to me what you already told me. How Arendelle is in deep, deep, deep, deeeeep snow. I was a bit taken back, although I knew that, but I didn't really understand, I suppose, how bad it really was until it came from her. I looked at her like she was crazy, but she just offered me such a kind smile, telling me I shouldn't worry because I could just unfreeze it."
She pauses for a second as a warm tear slides down her cheek and then hits the floor, "I told her I can't because I don't know how, but she told me she believed in me- she told me she knew I can." Elsa brings her hands to cover her face, "I told her she isn't safe! I told her I can't! Jack-!"
Elsa immediately removes her hands from her face and stares at him with wide, terrified eyes. "I… I threw my hands out in front of me… I- I didn't mean any harm. She was standing so close and-" Fear shines in her eyes as her voice cracks as tears stream down her cheeks endlessly, "Ice shot out of my hand and it hit her right in the chest- it hit her in the heart."
Jack's eyes widen, but before he can make a comment, Elsa takes a step back from him, shaking her head, "I was so happy to see her- we were both so happy to see each other, but I was so scared of harming her. I… I did. I hurt her again. I can barely remember what happened after that- I created a giant snow creature to throw them out and-"
"Them?" The Guardian raises a confused eyebrow, "Who else was here beside Anna? What happened to her, Elsa?"
"She was traveling with another man and Olaf and… they got her out, but she didn't look so good. I had my snow creature chase them out- I needed them far away from this place… far away from me." Elsa whispers as she falls to her knees, "I have no clue if Anna is alright or not."
"I just had to get my sister to safety so I had my snow monster throw them out, but Jack… I hit her heart. I'm a monster- a true monster! First, I hit her head and now her heart… how could I? How could I do something to someone I love so much… she's my sister and I think I killed her." Elsa hugs her arms tightly around herself as she slouches over and sobs, her entire body shaking with every sob.
Jack can feel his heart break apart as he watches Elsa fall weakly to her knees, sobbing- her cries echoing throughout the castle, making shivers go down his spine. He kneels down in front of her, wrapping her small body in his arms and he holds her.
He places a kiss on her head and rocks her back and forth slowly, letting her cry into his chest and let all her emotions out. He's quite surprised that because of her in this state, the entire castle isn't shaking and outside isn't turning worse than it already is. Usually when her emotions get this bad- this heavy, the snowstorm outside worsens, but right now, everything's the same.
The winds are hard, but as the two of them are inside the castle, they just have a small chill. The inside of the castle shielding them from outside's blizzard.
He kisses her head and then plants a gentle kiss on her forehead. They stay like that, in each other's arms, for a long time, but when he feels her breathing even out and her cries quieted, he realizes she must have fallen asleep.
Jack lifts Elsa's small figure in his arms and he starts flying up the stairs, towards the bedroom. His feet land softly on the ice, making the smallest sound, and he walks over to the bed made out of pure, solid ice. He lies her down; pulling a thick blanket Mrs. Claus gave him a while back after he announced to everyone he would be staying with Elsa in Norway on a mountain in a large ice castle.
The Guardian stares down at her sleeping form- so peaceful as she dreams of God only knows what. He smiles down at her and as his eyes lock with her peaceful, calm face, that's when an idea strikes him.
His eyes widen and a quiet gasp leaves his lips. He spins around, glancing over his shoulder to look at her sleeping figure one last time before whispering, "I'll be back soon." He then flies down the stairs, grabs his staff, and opens the front doors of the castle.
A cold breeze slaps across his face, causing him to smile at the cold weather. He shuts the doors behind him and takes a deep breath, "I hope this is a good idea and it goes as planned."
Jack Frost then flies up in the air and takes off, disappearing above the grey clouds and under the thousands of stars that are shining in the night sky.
. . .
Miles away and Jack Frost can still see the beautiful sight of the enormous castle of Arendelle. He squints his eyes so he can see through the snow and strong winds, flying straight towards the castle.
There is no doubt that the castle isn't beautiful. Of course, to Jack, Elsa's ice castle is far more unique and beautiful- but the castle of Arendelle sure is something.
He flies straight up towards a window and peeks inside, seeing no one. He goes to open the window up, but it's locked from the inside. A frown forms on the Guardian's face as he flies to each window, checking them all, but they are all locked and he is unable to open them and head inside.
"Okaaaaay." He mutters under his breath and scratches the top of his head, "Now what?" He flies around the castle, seeing all the lights are out and everyone's asleep who's inside the palace.
Checking the front doors of the castle, he hopes they are unlocked, but just as he thought, they're locked as well. He huffs in frustration and flies back up in the air, circling around the palace one last time, praying that he'll have some luck tonight.
Right as he is about to give up and head back to the mountain, he spots in the corner of his eye a window, slightly opened, the curtains blowing as the wind enters the room through the small crack.
A wide, childish grin forms on Jack's face and he doesn't waste a second before dashing towards the window, lifting it up a bit more so he can fit through it, and then entering the room.
He flies inside, landing softly on his feet as he looks around, examining the room he ended up in. His eyebrows knit together in confusion as his eyes scan the room he is standing in, which is completely covered in pure ice. Everything in the room, including the walls, floor, and ceiling, is beneath layers of ice- everything's frozen.
Jack Frost walks around the room, still amazed at what the room looks like, but when he spots a small book labeled 'Journal' on a dresser with the name 'Elsa' printed neatly under it, that's when he realizes whose room he is in.
"This is… Elsa's bedroom?" He asks himself in a whisper as he looks around the room, his eyes scanning over the frozen objects- her bed, closet, floor, walls, dresser; everything. Snowflakes frozen solid in thin air and the room temperature is freezing- plus with the window open doesn't help make it any less freezing in the room.
The Guardian walks over to the small nightstand that's frozen solid beside her bed, also covered in ice, and picks up a picture. His ice blue eyes lock with the two young girls in the center of the picture and in the background, behind a very small hill of snow, stands two proud, smiling parents.
While one hand holds the picture, Jack uses his free hand to allow his fingers to trace over the wide smile on the older girl's face. A sad smile forms on his lips as he realizes this is a picture of Elsa and Anna when they were young girls- children. Their parents in the background, watching the two girls play with each other.
He holds the picture tightly in his hand and then with a determined, happy, and hopeful look on his face, Jack flies out of the room and flies straight back to the ice castle.
. . .
Elsa sits on her bed, staring out the window with her hands neatly folded on her lap. She sniffs and sucks in a deep breath as she tears her eyes away from the window, staring across the room to stare blankly at the wall.
She lets out a sigh as she blinks away the tears that threaten to spill- she's so sick of crying, but recently, all she feels like doing is crying. She's so broken from everything that has been going on- she doesn't know what to do or how to feel anymore.
The Snow Queen glances around the room and she frowns, her lips pursing as she's lost in thought. "Where's Jack?" Last thing she remembers is the Guardian and her downstairs, talking, lots of crying on her part, and then they were in each other's arms.
'He must have carried me to me room and then… left? To where though…?' Elsa asks herself silently in her head before standing up and walking over to stand by the window. Her eyes lock with the snowflakes that are gracefully falling from the sky, covering the ground with layers of white powder.
"Elsa?" Jack's quiet, gentle voice calls from the bedroom doorway.
Elsa turns around and smiles when she sees Jack Frost standing there, with his hands behind his back, with a smile resting on his lips. "Hey," She greets as she walks over to him, "where've you been? I woke up and you were, well, gone."
"What? Oh, yeah," He grins, "I had to take care of a few things while you were asleep."
"Ah, more Guardian stuff?" She teases him as she spins around to sit herself on her bed. However, he remains in the doorway of her bedroom. "Jack? You okay?"
"Me? Of course!" He smiles widely as he takes a step towards her, his hands still behind his back, "It's just, while you were asleep, I actually headed down to Arendelle."
Her eyes widen, fear coming back into her eyes as her entire body tenses, "What?"
"Listen, lately you've been going through… a lot and I wanted to make you smile. I wanted to see a real, 'Elsa' smile from you again. With everything that's been going on, there's more tears than fun and I want to see real happiness in your eyes again." Jack says and then continues, "When I was gone for those three days, I was looking for something for you. I wanted to get you a gift that would make your eyes light up and sparkle again."
"Jack, what are you sa-" Elsa goes to ask, but he cuts her off, "I got you something- finally."
Elsa shakes her head, a small smile on her lips, "Jack, you didn't have to get me anything. I don't need anything, really. I thought I was alone in the whole world and then you showed up, making all my fears go away. You don't make me feel so alone anymore. You make me forget all fears and worries and you allow me to just enjoy myself- enjoy the time I spend with you. Plus, I didn't get you anything!" She adds the last part with a laugh, making him chuckle.
"You deserve something special and hopefully you like this… gift." He says, taking a deep breath, before removing his hands behind his back and handing her the gift.
Elsa's eyes widen as a gasp leaves her mouth; one hand flying to cover her mouth, which is hanging open, and the other to place over her heart. Tears immediately form in her eyes as she stares down at the gift in the Guardian's extended hands.
Speechless, Elsa just stares at the picture frame that is completely made out of pure ice- real snowflakes decorated on top of the solid ice. Her watery eyes then lock with the picture in the picture frame- two young girls, their cheeks pressed together, both laughing and smiling, happiness and sparkles shinning in their eyes, and two grinning parents in the background. Snowflakes resting on top of the children's hair. Both girls are holding hands as the picture paused them in the middle of sliding down a small snow hill together.
Jack can see how she's lost with words- which he takes as a good sign. He smiles at her and places the picture frame gently on the bed. He then cups her pale cheek in the palm of his hand, "I found this in your room- the picture was on your nightstand. I, well, made the frame myself. I really hope you like it and-"
"I love you." Elsa finally says, her eyes wide and the corners of her lips curved upwards, "I love the gift. Ever since I created this ice castle and lived here, I always wished I could go back home just for a few seconds to snatch this picture. This… this is my favorite picture of Anna and I. It was such a beautiful and fun day when we took this…" A single tear rolls down her cheek, "I can't thank you enough."
"You can thank me by smiling, how about that?" He asks, laughing, but she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. He smiles as he breathes in her scent and he closes his eyes. "I'm so glad you like it. Gotta tell ya' though, so not easy getting inside that castle."
She laughs and pulls away from him so she can look him in the eyes; her eyes sparkling again like they used to in the picture. "Thank you, Jack. Thank you so, so much." She kisses his lips; both of them smiling into the kiss.
When they pull apart, her eyes are shining just like the thousands of stars shining outside in the black, night sky. She smiles at him and, for the first time in forever, Jack sees the true 'Elsa' smile he's been dying to see grace her face again.
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, I just wanted to answer some questions and explain a few things:
1). So these one-shots basically –if you haven't noticed already- will take place during the night time.
2). It's been about a few weeks –or less- since Elsa created an eternal winter. This story is going to really take place during the time while she was in the ice castle.
3). Um, I'm honestly not sure if Anna will be in the story or not. As you can see, she's mentioned a few times, but her actually being in the story, she may or may not.
4). Now, truthfully, I'm not sure how long the story's going to be. I'm kind of writing as I go, haha, so I'm not sure, but, of course, I'll let you guys know in advance when it nears the end; letting you know how many chapters, about, that there will be. Recently I'm actually kind of having writer's block so I don't know how many chapters there'll be until the end of "Night of a Thousand Stars" because I really am running out of ideas. So, if you have any ideas or suggestions you'd like to read, just leave a comment or PM me, thanks! :)
I hope I explained things more and answered your questions! :) Thank you all so much for reading, next chapter should be up soon! ^_^